Section : Tracing the Owner of an Abandoned Vehicle

Tracing an owner

Posted By : Lloyd Davis, 20-Nov-2002, 04:35pm

I have a Spitfire abandoned in my road and I have tried all avenues to find the owner the police will not tell me data protection act the DVLA also said the same. It's just that it has sat unloved for 9months + whilst local kids leave the doors open etc. Any ideas folks

Followups :

Tracing an owner

Posted By : Jason Chinn, 22-Nov-2002, 10:36am

How about a quick leaflet into the local letter boxes asking if anyone knows who owns it? Can't do any harm can it?
What do the council do with abandoned cars? Anyone know?
- Tracing an owner
  
  Posted By : Jaimie Watts, 22-Nov-2002, 11:19am
  
  The council have a local contractor that takes all the dumped cars to the local scrapyard normally. Maybe you could leave a note on the car and when it gets taken away you could buy it from the scrapyard? Worth a try??!!
  - Tracing an owner
    
    Posted By : Lloyd Davis, 22-Nov-2002, 03:18pm
    
    I've asked all the neighbours and they seem to think that it was owned by a student that rented a local house but they have no details and it appeared overnight? As for the council they said once it's reported as dumped etc that's it 24hrs later and it's crushed no options. I did think about just re-registering it in my name which I believe would then make me the keeper not the legal owner. So possible problems later!! It's just too good to scrap.
    - Tracing an owner
      
      Posted By : Mike Crewes, 26-Nov-2002, 05:03pm
      
      I have already given Lloyd advice directly and have been asked again by Jason.
      
      The only people who can legally remove the car are the owner, or the Local Council. The Local Council cannot resell the car, since they do not own it, hence the only power they have is to remove it and dispose of it.
      
      I think Lloyd was hoping that someone might recognise the car and come forward as the owner.
      
      Regards
      Mike Crewes
      CopShop@TSSC.org.uk
      - Tracing an owner
        
        Posted By : Colin Wake, 28-Nov-2002, 04:55pm
        
        I am not a great expert on the Data Protection Act, but is there not a way of getting the information if you have a good reason (for a small admin fee). The council must try to trace the owner so they can get the information as they have a good reason.
        
        Would wanting to contact the owner to make an offer to buy count?
        
        Is it still taxed? If not, it's days must be numbered.
        
        You could exagerate a little and say the car was in collision with you and you wish to pursue a claim for damage... that would be a good reason.
        
        Tracing an owner
        
        Posted By : Mike Crewes, 06-Dec-2002, 11:31am
        
        Yes, for a smal fee some organisations can get data on vehicles, but they are restricted. Councils will be able to get this data, but members of the public cannot.
        
        I'm not sure that saying it has been in a collision is very helpful. The local Police will probably write to the last owner and if there is no reply they will leave it at that.
        
        Unfortunately, there is nothing (legal) that can be done to claim an abandoned car.
        
        Mike Crewes
        Cop Shop
        
        Tracing an owner
        
        Posted By : Colin Wake, 12-Dec-2002, 01:05pm
        
        Received a V5 yesterday, attached was a leaflet INS11.
        
        under heading Data Protection Act - Release of Information.
        
        However, the law allows us to release information to the police, to local authorities to assist with the investigation of offenses or parking restrictions and to anyone who can demonstrate 'reasonable cause' for their request.
        
        Then goes on to list all the other people that they will release the info to, which seems to be just about every other government department!!
        
        Anyway. All that is needed is a definition of a 'reasonable cause'. Hopefully just a matter of putting together a good letter saying you wish to prevent the car being destroyed.
        
        Colin
        
        Tracing an owner
        
        Posted By : Jason Chinn, 13-Dec-2002, 08:32am
        
        Try it! A good letter explaining that the car is a classic, worth salvaging or recycling at your expense and by agreeing to help trace the owner the local authority resources will not be used in the collection and disposal of the car!
        Can do no harm!
        
        J
        
        Tracing an owner
        
        Posted By : Lloyd Davis, 13-Dec-2002, 09:53am
        
        Just filled in the form together with a suitable letter and a cheques so fingers crossed.
        
        Tracing an owner
        
        Posted By : Colin Wake, 16-Dec-2002, 01:20pm
        
        Please let us know the outcome whatever it may be.
        
        Good luck.
        
        Colin
        
        Tracing an owner
        
        Posted By : Lloyd Davis, 06-Jan-2003, 11:05am
        
        Well here's the latest.
        Having filled in the relevant forms from the DVLA together with a letter. I then sat back and waited. I recieved the owners details last week. His address is 5+ miles away from my house. However he is not there at present as he lives in Finland!! But he is due back this week so I will update as and when we have spoken.
        
        Tracing an owner
        
        Posted By : Lloyd Davis, 07-Jan-2003, 03:30pm
        
        This I think is the end of the matter. Ispoke to the owner last night and he said that he knew the car had been left their as he friend worked locally and said that way he could keep an eye on it. The spit has a valid MOT (apr) and tax and that he paid Â£1000 for it last March. I told him that it was being vandalised gradually. He just said make me an offer, however he constantly repeated that he had paid Â£1000. Any it just goes to show if you need to find an owner you can.
        
        Tracing an owner
        
        Posted By : Jason Chinn, 18-Jan-2003, 01:46pm
        
        What was the wording of the letter you wrote? Could be useful to use again as it worked :-)
        
        J
        
        Tracing an owner
        
        Posted By : Mike Crewes, 18-Jan-2003, 04:02pm
        
        Lloyd
        
        Can you pop down to a meeting and bring any correspondence with you and I will do an article in Cop Shop.
        
        Regards
        Mike
        
        Tracing an owner
        
        Posted By : Colin Wake, 21-Jan-2003, 12:46pm
        
        LLoyd...
        
        Thanks for letting us know how you got on.
        
        It goes to show that the Data Protection Act can be used to good effect, from 'our' point of view.
        
        Shame how much he wants for the car!
        
        Colin
        
        Tracing an owner
        
        Posted By : Lloyd Davis, 23-Jan-2003, 03:08pm
        
        Mike, I will attend a meeting soon at which I'll bring down the letter I recieved from the DVLA and also the letter I sent. The only document I no longer have is their reply which told me the owners address and re-affirmed that the information was to be used as outlined in my original letter.
        
        Tracing an owner
        
        Posted By : Lloyd Davis, 02-Apr-2003, 09:38am
        
        Well I feer the end has come for the spitfire I had been after. As only last week a orange removal notice was placed on it's windsceen and last night when I returned home from work it was gone. All I can say is I tried!!!!
        
        Tracing an owner
        
        Posted By : Nigel Gibbins, 02-Apr-2003, 10:44am
        
        Lloyd,
        
        There is still a chance (or was)...
        
        you can get in touch with the council - or whomever removes the unwanted cars and make them an offer for it!
        
        Afterall, it costs them to crush cars.
        Quick - on the phone now...
        
        NiG
        http://www.niginthecar.net
        
        Ignore me - I didn't read the whole thread
        
        Posted By : Nigel Gibbins, 02-Apr-2003, 10:53am
        
        I really should read things thorougly before opening my gob! ;-)
        
        A desperately sad story though, He wanted a grand and now he doesn;t even have a car - silly boy!
        
        I had a similar abandoned car near me - but didn't do anything about it - well it was an MGBGT (ugggh!). It has also now gone to the scrapyard in the sky - or do MGs go 'downstairs' when they die?
        
        NiG
        http://www.niginthecar.net